All characters belong to their respective companies

Damian gets a reminder that while he's trained to fight his whole life. he wasn't prepared to be a vigilante.


The lecture had been bad enough. No one ever seemed to trust he knew what he was doing and didn't have time to argue with everyone for the correct course of action. They trusted when Cain or Drake made similar decisions but not him. Never him.

It was wholly and completely unfair.

It felt like Grayson never let him have any freedom. If he'd wanted to be treated this way he would've stayed with his mother. Maybe he should've given her offer more consideration when he last saw her. He still can't figure out why he chose to stay.

Finding his father was slow going and he wasn't really allowed to be involved. Drake was back in Gotham attempting to settle himself in his newfound independence so Grayson didn't exactly need Damian around anymore. There were plenty of people patrolling the city anymore. From Batgirl working with Oracle, to Batwoman doing her own thing like she always does, and the Birds of Prey also often did things in Gotham.

Sure Gotham had no shortage of insane terrorist running around and no one had ever told him they didn't want him around or that they would be better off without him but he could read between the lines. Maybe Grayson and Pennyworth didn't think that. Drake certainly did, he'd told Damian that on a number of occasions, of course that hadn't been recent and there were- extenuating circumstances that Damian should perhaps take into consideration before judging too harshly.

The list was a little too damning though. No matter what Grayson told him Drake had meant by it.

Damian will admit to still being a little heated by the whole situation. Drake was back to doing whatever it was he was still up to meaning he wasn't around as much to get on Damian's nerves. He cannot understand what had made him so special that everyone cared when he'd left. Damian could do anything Drake could do, including what he'd done tonight. He'd been right to go off on his own and abandon his post.

A decision needed to be made. Grayson would take too long to make it.

But there were consequences. There were always consequences. So after the seemingly endless lecture from Grayson he now had to go through old Robin patrol logs. Specifically three, one from each of his predecessors' time with the mantle.

Could be informative of what not to do. Three of them had essentially been fired and the other had died on the job and was now crazy. The legacy of Robin was not one meant to be viewed with rose colored glasses. It was a tragedy. Anyone with more than three brain cells would be able to see.

He decided to start with who he believed to be the biggest failure during their time.

Brown did have things going against her but the impulsiveness to her decisions along with the attempting to needlessly prove herself better than the other three had been her ultimate downfall.

Damian opened the prepared file.

Mission Status: Failed

Good start. What point was Grayson attempting to prove with this report? Damian noted none of them were written reports. One was a video recording and the other two were audio

When he opened the file he was a little shocked by her appearance. She looked disheveled. She'd removed the mask and cape from her uniform but still wore everything else. And she looked utterly defeated.

The date was less than a week before Batman would remove her from the role. Damian could feel the impending doom.

She took a breath in as if to steady herself before proceeding. "I don't even know what today's date is so- sorry but that's gonna be wrong too."

She was angry. This was likely recorded right after the fact. Mere hours. "I still don't think I'm wrong. He doesn't trust me. I guess it might not be fair. Tim was better at this afterall. Too bad his dad got wise."

Damian was aware that Drake's father had gotten involved resulting in her time as Robin, he also knew he and Brown shared sentiment that Drake was always preferred and that they would never live up to him. Something they had discussed once. It was interesting to see those feeling raw here. Far closer to how he felt.

"Anyway," she adjusted herself in the seat. "I was stationed at Maddison and Forth. We were staking out a possible drop that was orchestrated by Riddler. Batman was suspicious we were being played so he was checking out a possible related drop a few blocks away and I was to stay there and report whatever I saw."

She bit her lower lip before continuing. "There were three guys, nondescript bad guy gear- you know the type- with a couple of stuffed duffle bags, I think there were four. They had pretty thick accents, I would say they'd lived in the narrows their whole lives. You only get an accent like that when you do. They split the load between a brown station wagon that looked like a health hazard, I think it could give someone tetanus, and a large white van."

"One guy got in the station wagon and the other two got into the van. I had to make a choice about which one to follow."

She paused before scoffing. "I know how he gets about leaving his post. He was convinced that- I don't know- that Riddler was hiding behind a pole or something but there's always that one percent chance it's real. So naturally he makes sure I have the wild goose chase and I don't get to be involved in the meat of things. God forbid I'm involved I guess."

"I tried to get into their heads. If I was transporting a bunch of valuables how would I do so? Well if it were me, I would go for something that wouldn't turn heads. White vans turn heads, it's too cliche. And sure, maybe these dumbasses would go for cliche, but- I- I just. I didn't think so.

"They were heading in opposite directions. So I put a tracer on the van and followed the station wagon. I didn't report it in. I didn't want to deal with having to explain myself to him like I always have to. I figured I would ask for forgiveness when the mission was done. So I followed the station wagon for a while. It went about thirteen blocks away before picking up a passenger. Some prostitute, probably a CI or something. They went another eight blocks before stopping.

"He paid her, I have no idea what for and also don't want to. They didn't stop to do anything so it was really weird, anyway she went back to where he'd picked her up and he pulled out the two bags he had and went inside a speakeasy.

"So- I did a quick perimeter check to make sure there wasn't anyone else around and snuck in through a window. I was planning on using my snake through the vents to check it out but all of the vents were closed. So I was gonna try and use it under the door.

"When I got into position to check and see who was there they opened the door. And it's hard to pass me, dressed as Robin, holding a camera that I very obviously was going to use to look under the door as anything other than incriminating.

"They responded with their guns because they're not creative and- and I had to retreat. Unfortunately the area was too small, everything was just kinda in their favor.

"I checked the white van's tracer before going in. It wasn't near Batman's location, it was just driving around. Well it ended up there and picked up Nygma himself from the building Batman had been staking out. Apparently, unbeknownst to me, in the chaos of attempting to spy on some guys who just bought a shit ton of cocaine from Riddler and were playing poker, my comm broke and Batman couldn't get a hold of me.

"Because I wasn't able to answer my comm and I had also left my post, he was under the impression I was in trouble and he went to go and help me. So Nygma got away. The guys who bought the Cocaine were a couple of low level lieutenants for some cartels who didn't even know they were buying from the Riddler, and Nygma he's just screwing around with the drug cartels in the area trying to start a war."

Something in her tone made Damian feel uneasy. He knew what she'd done, what had happened to her. This feels like the beginning stages of what would lead to her downfall.

"I stand by my decision. I now know that my post had been a holding site Riddler had been attempting to get to, and there was information in there that would've provided us with a lot of the details of his next grand scheme. I got lectured on how I left my post and it was my fault I'd been unreachable. I didn't break my comm. I wasn't trying to hide or be deliberately disobedient. I just wanted to prove I can do this.

"Whatever, I guess. End of log."

Damian closed out of the page.

He had trouble sympathizing with her. With the details laid out like that it was her fault. She left her post when she shouldn't have and didn't tell anyone where she was going.

He figured there was no point in dwelling on what he'd just heard. He had two other logs to get through.

Damian decided to listen to Todd's next. Another failure in the mantle although it hardly had been his fault. The Joker was an incredibly dangerous adversary and Todd had overestimated his abilities.

Mission Status: Success

It wasn't a failed mission. He thought he was supposed to be learning the importance of listening to authority or whatever.

"I guess I'll start by saying I'm sorry. I thought I would be able to make it."

Damian was a little taken back by how young he sounded. He'd grown so used to Todd's much older and rougher voice he'd forgotten there was a time before. A time when, like Damian himself, Todd had also been a child.

"I'm still new at all this superhero stuff. I guess I got a little jealous that you wanted Nightwing to help and not me."

Todd lets out a long breath before continuing. "A few days ago we heard that Freeze was expecting a shipment of some sort. We staked out the drop but it had been a dummy drop and Freeze was able to intercept his equipment.

"I was told to stay in the cave and run comms while Batman and Nightwing went to Freeze's hideout and stop whatever it was he was doing. While running comms I was able to intercept a message that Freeze would be meeting up with Penguin.

"Batman instructed that I tail Penguin and see where he was heading while Nightwing and Batman handled Freeze.

"I got on my bike, went out to the location where Penguin was supposed to be and- and he wasn't there.

"So I checked out some other known locations he might be at and nothing. Penguin was at Freeze's hideout.

"When I asked what I should do next, Batman instructed me to return to the cave. I didn't. I just- I felt I could find him so I disobeyed the order and went to a lesser known drop point that Penguin used sometimes. It was an old hold up for Maronie's guys.

"Freeze had also decided that this would be a safe spot and was stashing his equipment there. When I found it I knew I couldn't leave it and Batman and Nightwing weren't available on the comms but the longer I stayed the higher the risk someone would catch me so I loaded up as much of the equipment as I could prepared to leave.

"Well Penguin was making a break for it. He was gonna take all of it and head to the Iceberg Lounge I think. Probably counting on Freeze getting captured and wanting to sell. Penguin is an opportunist after all.

"Penguin saw me there with all of the stuff. I thought I would be able to catch Penguin and get the stuff Freeze had been trying to get. He electrocuted me with his umbrella and stole my bike along with all of Freeze's equipment.

"No one knew I was there so backup wasn't close. They were attempting to cut Penguin off while he went to the Iceberg Lounge. Which is a stupid place to stash this stuff by the way.

"Unfortunately this left me incapacitated and vulnerable. When I finally was able to ping my comm and request a pick up both Freeze and Penguin had been apprehended. It was successful despite my major slip up.

"I know I'm supposed to make sure people know where I am so I don't get stuck like that. I saw an opportunity. So I'm sorry. The bad guys got caught so, yeah, it could've been way worse.

"End of log."

Rather anticlimactic. It made him wonder about other things Todd had done during his time with the cape. Must not have been much if this was all Grayson could find to prove his point.

With that though Damian decided Grayson's own logs would be fitting to listen to.

Mission Status: Success

Another successful mission. Odd choices.

"It still hurts to breathe." He sounded even younger than Todd, and substantially more injured than Brown had been. "I guess this really isn't a failure, but- it does put this whole thing in perspective. He's even said I won't be going out anymore so this could very well be my last log."

The amount of emotion in his voice was something Damian was familiar with. Grayson still got like this on occasion.

"I'm not gonna let him take this from me. Not after everything.

"Judge Lawrence Watkins had been captured by Two-Face. He told me Two-Face wasn't like anyone else I'd ever faced. He told me to stay out of it.

"Two-Face doesn't like odd numbers, he always does pairs of things. There were a few possible options that Batman figured Dent would go for and he decided to check on a set of twins born to Eileen Damascus, a newspaper heiress who'd published the story about when Dent had become Two-Face.

"He'd been counting on us to show up. He wanted to capture Batman. He felt it just as much Batman's fault as it was Watkins.

"Even though Batman told me not to, I followed him out there. I thought Dent had thrown one of the babies off the roof so I went to catch him. It'd been a fake and gassed me.

"Two-Face- He wanted me to choose. Batman or Watkins. Batman told me not to play the game. I thought I could outplay him. So the bet had the Judge go first. I said best two out of three and Dent wouldn't hang Watkins. He agreed and I won.

"But then he said it's all in the details and had Watkins drown in the water below."

Damian can hear Grayson's voice catch. There's several seconds of silence before he continues.

"Two-Face explained that it was my fault that Watkins died. And then, he made sure Batman could watch as he beat me.

"'Kept saying it was the Bat's fault I was gonna die.

"Eventually Batman was able to get himself free. He got me out of there, Two-Face and his goons were apprehended by the GCPD. Batman won't let me in the field anymore, says it was a mistake I was ever let out to begin with. That I'm just a kid.

"I'll figure out a way to prove it to him. I can do this. I just need to wait I guess.

"End of log."

Damian sat back slightly.

He hadn't known this had happened. There was a pattern to these logs. None of them had told Batman where they were or what they were doing. Resulting in things in the mission getting messed up.

The message Grayson was attempting to send couldn't be more clear.

He was confused nonetheless. Drake didn't have a log to help drill in the importance of reporting in and listening to direct orders.

Damian went up to the study where he knew Grayson would be waiting.

"Where is Drake's file?" Damian asks upon entering. "The rest of you had one, where is his?"

Grayson studies him for a moment. "Tim doesn't have one."

Damian blinked. "What?"

"Tim didn't make mistakes like that. Following Jason's legacy made him much more cautious. He made other mistakes but none of them were relevant to what you were needing to hear."

"Yeah, I get the idea. I'll inform you next time I go against orders."

"It's more than that. I don't give those orders for no reason." Grayson keeps his voice level as his gaze seems to pierce through Damian's skin. He feels uncomfortable. "Batman didn't give us orders for no reason. And when we didn't listen, when we just went off and did our own thing, good intentions or not, Bad things happened. The mission failed, we got hurt, people died Damian."

"I know what I'm doing. I don't need every action of mine questioned. Unlike the rest of you, I have trained my whole life."

"I get that. It's more than you just doing the common courtesy of telling me what you're up to. If you think there is a better call I want you to tell me, but I also want to know why and that you will actually listen to me if I disagree."

Grayson stood up and kneeled in front of Damian. He wanted to make sure whatever he said next registered.

"You're right, you've been trained to fight your whole life. But you weren't trained to be Robin, to be a vigilante. We have more experience in this field, fighting these enemies. You question every order you're given and make every mission more difficult than it needs to be. Experience comes with time, let yourself have it. This isn't me saying you don't know what you're doing. But I cannot keep having you question and disobeying every single thing I tell you."

Damian could see the threat underneath. He'd never really had Grayson address him this way. "Or what?"

"You don't want to go there." Grayson replied simply. "There needs to be some respect between the two of us. Think you can manage?"

He wondered what 'there' meant for Grayson. What kind of punishment it would mean. Damian had learned very quickly that Grayson could be an extremely formidable enemy if you pushed the right buttons. Something Damian had been aware he was doing rather frequently.

"I can manage." Damian decided.

A truce is definitely needed. Grayson had far too easy of a time reading Damian. Whatever 'there' did mean, Damian was at least willing enough to be wary. He didn't think he would be beaten but there were other things the elder man could do.

Maybe there was something to be learned. Grayson did have a point. His experience as a vigilante was limited. He'd intended to learn from his father but that wasn't going to happen for a while. His oldest student could have a few things up his sleeve for Damian to learn.

He'll just have to wait and see.


Despite how much I love Dick and Damian together, I think a lot of the tension that was there initially is glossed over a lot. Damian at one point in the early days had told Dick he didn't even respect him. Anyway, I feel I have save what I believe the best for last. Tomorrow's story is easily the longest one of the set. See you tomorrow.